RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff on Thursday announced a program to build some 6,000 new homes for victims of recent floods that have claimed hundreds of lives in the Rio de Janeiro area.Rescuers have recovered 835 bodies from flooding and mudslides sparked by more than a week of heavy rains in what is considered Brazil's worst-ever natural catastrophe. Another 518 are still missing and feared dead, according to Civil Defense figures.
In addition, over 30,000 people have lost their homes or had to abandon them amid fears of likely collapses, according to newly updated figures.Brazil's rainy season has been particularly severe this year, with flooding also swamping southern Santa Catarina state and Sao Paulo, the economic hub that record its rainiest January in 60 years.
Rousseff, who was sworn as Brazil's president on January 1, said officials were also exploring whether the government will reorganize its Civil Defense forces to allow a better disaster response.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.